South Africa - Johannesburg - 05 April 2024 - Thuja Capital CEO, Professor Mthunzi Mdwaba speaking at the Joburg theatre in Braamfontein at The Star Political Dialogue, as painted a gloom picture of the countrys 15- year trajectory saying the countrys leaders including former President Zuma have contributed to the sad state of affairs the country finds itself in ahead of this years general elections. Picture: Itumeleng English/ Independent Newspaper.
Gauteng cannot create sustainable jobs without policy, says United Democratic Movement (UDM) Gauteng premier candidate Mthunzi Mdwaba.
Mdwaba told the Beulah Tabernacle Church congregation on Sunday that the province and the country at large did not have an employment policy, which he said made it impossible for the government to create jobs.
“We don’t have an employment policy in the country. How are we expected to create jobs if we don’t have employment policies?
“One can’t create employment in a vacuum. In order to be able to create jobs one must create enterprises and for that to happen government needs to start supporting entrepreneurs who will in turn create enterprises,” the UDM candidate said.
Mdwaba cautioned congregants against being fooled by theoretical conjectures, adding that the Gauteng government did not have plans to create sustainable jobs but they could only create temporary jobs due to the pressure of the elections.
He said it was unfortunate for a province considered to be the economic hub not to have its own bilateral relations with international partners in order to solidify trade relations.
“We account for 33% of GDP, and if we allow that to fail we are going to fail. You need someone who has endurance, more especially in the province that is so messed up.”
Mdwaba encouraged the church to hold political party leaders accountable by making them pledge to come back to churches and report on the promises they made prior to the elections.
EFF Tshwane regional secretary Tshego Mashabela said that once the EFF was in power, it would advocate for the centralisation of funds for municipalities in an effort to curb wasteful expenditure.
Mashabela said such expenditure breeds corruption and lack of accountability.
“Corruption starts when you elect corrupt politicians and leaders to be in charge of the government and public purse,” she added.
Mashabela said the onus was now on the people to make sure that they rectify all the social ills, corruption, nepotism and poverty that they were subjected to by the current government.
The UDM confirmed Mdwaba as the premier candidate three days ago by the party’s president, General Bantu Holomisa. He is expected to contest the Gauteng premiership with the likes of the current premier Panyaza Lesufi, the EFF’s Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, ActionSA’s Funzi Ngobeni and the DA’s Solly Msimanga, to mention a few.
The Star
sipho.jack@inl.co.za
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